A local West Lothian festival has changed its name in a bid to cut ties with an historic slave owner amid growing calls.
An online petition to change the name of the Bathgate Procession and John Newland Festival quickly gathered momentum, racking up over 1,000 signatures.
John Newland who the procession celebrates, left thousands of pounds in his will to found a school in his home town of Bathgate.
But, as history records show, his legacy is marred by the truth that he made his fortune as a plantation owner in Jamaica, using slave labour.
The Procession committee members announced on Wednesday that the title of the event will now be Bathgate Procession and "Community Festival".
In a statement, they said: "This is something the committee have discussed over the years and also considering a recent petition requesting association with John Newland is removed due to his links to slavery.
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"The current modern day Procession seeks to celebrate diversity, inclusion and community spirit. We do not want this much loved community event to offend or exclude anyone from celebrating the Procession.
"In the coming months, we will look at the best way to disassociate John Newland from the festival celebrations to ensure Procession day 2021 can be enjoyed by all."
In the wake of the death of George Floyd, people have rallied around the world in anti-racism solidarity protests.
A peaceful demonstration is set to take place in Edinburgh's Holyrood Park this Sunday, with speeches and performances from the black community organisers and artists.
